by Patrick Hurley

Created on: September 21, 2010

Do obese people care about a list of reasons why they are overweight? Nope. It takes healthy rationalizations to be obese in most cases, So here is the list for healthy people who need reminders not to be obese. These are significant explanations why so many Americans are overweight:

1. The economy drives more and more people to less expensive foods. These are the fast foods. You can get two Whoppers at Burger King (oh no, I am PROMOTING obesity here!) for only $3.50. Add a dollar french fry order and a dollar drink (unlimited free refills if you eat it there) and you have a lot of food for less than six bucks. You can't beat that price buying a full dinner at the grocery store, individually or as a family. When people don't have money, they love Wendy, the Burger King, Ronald and Jack. Several times a week lending new meaning to the phrase, "Gross National Product."

2. Busy people find food on the run. Fast food part deux. Don't have time to park your car, walk into the grocery store, spend ten minutes picking out dinner, walk back to your car, drive home, spend a half hour cooking and another ten minutes rinsing dishers when you could be WORKING? Simple solution: Drive through in five minutes and VOILA! Instant dinner. Fast food places love workaholics. When one is too busy to shop or cook, just pull up and hear the magic words for every 20 hour per day worker who has no time to take care of his nutritional needs, "May I take your order, please?" Sure! Would you like a GAZILLION calories with that? Not really, but...

3. Fitness clubs are not just meant to be joined, they are meant to be USED! Why do these places make money? Because Americans rush to them the first week of January and by the end of the month are no longer using their membership. Why? Because it is comforting to join a fitness club to convince yourself you are doing something about all the weight you gained over the holidays. It is even more comforting to find great excuses to avoid consistent workouts or ANY workouts at all. If there are too many cars in the parking lot, don't go in. Too crowded. If there is a great discussion on the radio, don't go in, you can always work out LATER. If you suddenly remember you forgot to pick up your dry cleaning, don't go in. You NEED clothes the next day. And so on. The fitness club is the last place you want to be when you are obese and the first place you NEED to be when you are obese...

4. "Gee, I'm depressed/lonely/celebrating/craving/watching sports/watching a movie/angry at my mom/boyfriend/girlfriend/boss...I think I will have A...giant sandwich/chocolate cake/huge bag of M&M's/with milk/bag of oreos/gallon of ice cream/six pack of beer/family bag of chips/gallon of guacamole or everything PERISHABLE in my kitchen. Comfort food is usually CALORIE food. Believe it. Throw away most of your cravings. Think vegetables. Vegetables are good.

5. Finally, most Americans are obese because they WANT to be! They like eating. They like drinking. They live for today. For the moment. For the food they want right NOW. They are in denial about the consequences later on. If they were as impulsive going for a three mile walk as you were heating up a three pound burrito, you probably would have a pretty good looking body. Spoil yourself. Eat a little better and exercise a little more. Just DO it!

Obesity is a huge problem with simple answers and complex people who do not want to solve it. We seem to love our foods more than OURSELVES. Until that changes, we will always lose the battle of the bulge.

I am now craving peanut M&M's. It's a good thing I don't buy them and bring them home for moments like this...

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